ISIS attack in Zakho area: 9 peshmerga killed

Jabhat al-Nusra, Al Qaeda
ISIS gangs ambushed a group of Peshmerga in the village of Sihêla near Zakho yesterday, killing 9 of them.

The YPG (people’s protection units) then intervened, killing a large number of ISIS gang members.

As ISIS gangs step up their attacks on South Kurdistan, gangs ambushed peshmerga forces in the village of Sihêla in the Zakho region.
Speaking to the Firat News Agency, a peshmerga named Brindar Mehmet Emin stated that 9 peshmerga lost their lives and some others were wounded in clashes with ISIS gangs in Sihêla at around 19:00 yesterday.

Stating that the YPG forces immediately intervened after the attacks of the ISIS gangs, Mehmet Emin said that after the clashes broke out between the YPG forces and the ISIS gangs, lots of ISIS gang members were killed.

The village of Sihêla is near the border of West Kurdistan. It is located opposite the village of Girêsor, where the first ditches were dug by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in April 2014.

It is reported that the people began to flee from the villages of Sihêla, Sebana, Siligiye and Tawis after the clashes broke out.

YPG come to aid of peshmerga
The YPG, the defence force of Rojava, crossed into Iraq from Til Kocher (Ya’rubiyya) in a similar way yesterday to assist peshmerga forces in the Mosul area. As clashes intensified around Zumar in the Mosul area, YPG forces moved into the area from Til Kocher after the 8th peshmerga regiment withdrew from the Rabiah town opposite Til Kocher.

YPG spokesperson Polat Can issued a statement, saying: “ISIS wants to attack Zumar and Sinjar with a large force and separate it from Zakho. In order to prevent that happening we are here. We have come with a large force in order to protect our Southern compatriots from the ISIS gangs.”
YPG fighters and PUK peshmerga are now conducting a joint defence of the Til Kocher-Rabiah border crossing. It is also reported that YPG forces have headed for Sinjar.